Revolver for Mom

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ExAgoradzo

ExAgoradzo

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Help me guys,
My mom wants a gun. I don't trust her to fire it enough to be effective with a semi auto, so revolver is on the menu.
This would be a PD gun only: which scares me. She won't be firing it very often, will it be of any (good) use of the time comes to use it?

I'm thinking an SP 101 in .357 and load it with standard .38 Spec loads.

What similar (less expensive?) type of pistol would you recommend?

Other ideas?

Thanks guys!
Greg
 
To make reconditions we need more information. Approximately how old is your mother? Does she have the necessary strength to hold up a heavy revolver and pull a give-or-take 12 pound double-action trigger pull. How large is her hand relative to holding a large handle? How is she likely to react to the recoil and blast, even from a less-then-magnum cartridge?

Are they're any gun shops with attached shooting ranges, or shooting ranges alone, that you might visit where different makes and models could be handled and examined?

On far too many occasions we see a man selecting a handgun for a lady, with no input from her. That can be a big mistake.

At the present moment I am working with an elderly women who's son picked out a combination of a Ruger SP 101/.357 Magnum, matched with .38 Special ammunition.

The revolver is an excellent one, but she can hardly lift it, and she can't pull the double-action trigger all of the way through with one hand and still hold the gun steady.

Not good. :uhoh:
 
I have a similar ongoing dilemma with my mom. Shes 67 and isnt exactly gun savvy.
My dad had given her a Colt detective special, and she doesnt care for it. Will not practice!
I have brought her many different types and styles, and she just doesnt like them and wont practice. So she keeps the Colt. At least she is a little familiar with it.

Oddly enough, the one thing she has taken a little bit of a shine to is an M1 carbine! I never wouldve thunk it, but she handles it pretty well. Its not very heavy, has decent balance, the action is easy to work, and its easy to hit what you want with.
I havent got her to practice very much with it yet, but im working on it (she is a hard sell)

Just something to consider from out in left field.

P.s.
Only viable as a home defense option i know
 
Last edited:
Understood,
She has (successfully) fired my H&R .22 with Id say a 4" barrel. She's 66 in Nov.

I just discovered the Ruger LCR...had no idea anything but my Blackhawks fires 9mm. Any reports on this gun in particular?

In her part of CA shooting ranges are far apart and expensive: discouraging...

Greg
 
M1C!!! OTB but a good idea! I'll look into that but the whole purpose of it was PD if you look at it in that perspective: guarding behind the lines artillery, etc...

Thanks guys,
Greg
 
Gun Master said:
Buena Venturas on that one.
Click to expand...
Gracias!
I tell her it has to become like, getting into your car in the dark. You cant see, but your hands go right to the controls and know how to handle them.
She has a deep rooted aversion to them, and keeps betting against the statistical improbability that she'll ever need it. Im workin on it
 
Another one my mom didnt hate, was my wifes sig p238.
I know its a semi, but it is very light, the recoil is lesser than any other .380 ive ever fired, and she can manipulate the slide with not much fuss. (But, it is SAO)
 
Do you know exactly why she doesn't like the Detective Special?

Such as, too short a barrel, kicks too hard, isn't comfortable to hold, trigger pull too heavy, etc.

And if anything - what does she like about it?
 
Im not exactly sure, Old Fuff. The look she gets on her face...youd think she was squishin a booger.

Its been in the family a long time, might have history; she may just not like IT.
 
I have no idea how big or tall she is, but given that she "tolerates" the M1 Carbine you might consider a .410 or 20 gauge pump shotgun with a short barrel and "youth" butt stock.

Also a light lever action carbine chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special.

Finely, the Government carbine is not a bad choice so long as it doesn't leave the house.
 
I'd get her one of those used model 10s.. ~$300, quality s&w craftsmanship, easy recoil in 38spl, 4" bbl points strait & just pull the trigger.

If she's looking for a purse gun, the lcr isn't bad for that, or go with a taurus 85 if you're on the cheap.

Probably need to talk it over with her, & see what she'd be comfortable with.

I have a ruger lcr in 9mm & 38spl. The 9mm uses moonclips, but is fairly easy with standard loads. I am more accurate with it than a compact auto.. but i'm a revolver guy. :)

For a 'one gun fits all', the lcr in 9mm isn't bad. You can carry it in purse or pocket, it is simple & easy to use. You wouldn't go wrong with it. ..fast reloads, too, if you get sucked into a long gunfight, which your mom would probably not do.
 
Colt made a longer barreled (4, 5 and 6 inches) version of the Detective Special called the Police Positive Special.

Also the same revolver - Called the Police Positive- that was about 1/4-inch shorter with a matching length cylinder. Chambered to use .32 S&W Long or .38 S&W.

Things like this are the reason you need to get her to look at other options. It's the only way to discover her likes and dislikes.

It may be that she has an emotional issue with the Detective Special because someone else bought it and more or less forced it on her. This is not an uncommon situation.

As more senior citizens are getting into personal protection guns - ladies in particular - we are making some discoveries, one of which is that they have minds of their own, and don't like to be dictated to. :uhoh:
 
My wife is 61, & as a mom or wife, she wants nothing to do with guns. She's not anti gun, just never will shoot one, nor does she enjoy the fam talking about them, or going to the range. Different strokes, and all.. but if she's interested, a nice 4" revolver in 38spl is pretty sweet. It won't hurt her, & she might have fun shooting it. No slide to rack, no recoil to scare her. It would be good for HD & would fit in a purse. ..not as small as the lcr, but small enough, & the weight soaks up the recoil better. If my wife would shoot a gun at all, that's what i'd have her shoot for her first gun. :)

ps.. she won't ride with me on my motorcycle, either.. so that either tells you something about me, or her... :eek:
 
MY crossbow can't be set by anyone but Arnold!

'I' don't trust her with a semiauto. She handled a P-85? Ruger once and I had an endless time explaining what to do if she got an FTE or FTF. I thought it vital to do so. Finally I tried the angle, if it doesn't work do this...and I still felt like she wouldn't reliably be able to do it. I like the 4" 38 spec idea, that's my go to idea except go with the 357 frame to soak up the recoil.... This 9mm looks good though too.

10-4 on minds of their own and not wanting to be told what to do.

Hmmm, .410... Gov carb, I've always wanted a 9mm carbine, but she doesn't have money to blow...nor do I at the moment. She's kinda scared right now though and I wonder if she just had this in the house somewhere with no ammo and impossible to get at should she need it would make her feel better. IDK. But I like reading your experiences/ideas...
Greg
 
A friend of mine bought his mom a Colt Pony .380 for home defense. On a later visit to her house she asked him to take it back. She was so concerned about doing something wrong while handling the gun that she took it to a local gun shop and had them disassemble it. He took it back, sold it, and bought her a .38 Special revolver.
 
She may not like a particular gun just because of the way it feels in her hand. Arthritis is an issue for a lot of us, myself included. You might try different grips on the Detective Special. Crimson Trace grips are nice for those who aren't into practice ... "Put the red dot on the target and pull the trigger".
 
Four potential problems with a S&W K-frame/.38 Special/4-inch revolver and an elderly lady (and some men).

1. It weighs too much for weakened hands/wrists/arms.

2. Even with small stocks the handle is too big, and the reach to the trigger too far.

3. The double-action trigger pull is too heavy. Of course it can be lightened, but then cartridge ignition may be compromised.

4. Even in .38 Special, the recoil and muzzle blast may be too much for an inexperienced user.

When it comes to answers, senior citizens are in a class by themselves. Often solutions that work for others won't work with them.
 
Ironicaintit said:
I have a similar ongoing dilemma with my mom. Shes 67 and isnt exactly gun savvy.
My dad had given her a Colt detective special, and she doesnt care for it. Will not practice!
I have brought her many different types and styles, and she just doesnt like them and wont practice. So she keeps the Colt. At least she is a little familiar with it.

Oddly enough, the one thing she has taken a little bit of a shine to is an M1 carbine! I never wouldve thunk it, but she handles it pretty well. Its not very heavy, has decent balance, the action is easy to work, and its easy to hit what you want with.
I havent got her to practice very much with it yet, but im working on it (she is a hard sell)

Just something to consider from out in left field.

P.s.
Only viable as a home defense option i know
Click to expand...
An M-1 Carbine is what my aunt has for HD. Actually she could use any of my uncle's handguns or shotguns, but chose the Carbine, likes it and shoots it well.
 
PJSprog said:
While I'm certainly a fan of the revolver idea, I have to agree with Old Fluff. Take her somewhere where she can rent some guns and try them. Let her pick the one she wants.
Click to expand...
Every time I go to see my ma, I bring her something else to try. From a Ruger mark I (she liked it, I didnt. Not reliable enough) to a GP100 (frame's too big and heavy) and everything in between.
She liked my li'l lady's p238 cuz its small, the recoil is minimal, and its pretty.
But being a SAO, I know that getting her to practice the proper manual of arms, failure drills, as well as shooting the thing...its just not gonna happen.

I think ExAgoradzo is on the right track with a revolver for PD (personal defense, I presume)
Theres (theoretically) so much less that can go wrong with a well made, DA/SA wheelgun thats going to ride in a drawer or purse.

I will get some different grips on the Colt and have her try it again. Maybe paint it white with purple and yellow flowers so it doesnt look so ominous and like a "saturday night special" :)
And I'll keep barking up the tree and get her to hang on to my carbine for HD, as well. (Its not getting painted though)

sorry for the partial hijack Greg (ExAgoradzo),
The boats we're trying to paddle sure look a lot alike!
 
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